Osun residents protest planned airport relocation to Adeleke’s hometown
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Residents of Ido Osun in Osun State, on Tuesday, protested the plan by the state government to relocate the state airport project from Ido-Osun to Ede.
Held under the aegis of the Ido-Osun Youth Forum, the protesters rejected the explanations offered by the government that the current site of the airport was no longer good enough, due to encroachment by people who erected structures on the land for the project.
Ex-member representing Egbedore State Constituency, Abiodun Awolola, who read a text on behalf of the protesters, held that relocating the airport from Ido-Osun to Ede, which is the governor’s hometown, is nepotic.
Part of the text read, “Ido-Osun Airport has been in existence since 1936 before it was abandoned and then successive governments of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Bisi Akande, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola have all at their time made a very effective commitment in ensuring the airport comes to life.
“Over N20 billion have been expended on the Ido-Osun Airport by the past governments. Abandoning it to start a fresh project in the governor’s hometown, Ede will only paint the current government as nepotistic and amount to a waste of resources because the governor will have to dip hands into the coffers of the state for the fresh project.
“The airport which houses Nigerian Airforce Research and Development Center and the Aviation City, which is designed to serve civil, military and cargo aviation needs, as well as AI drones manufacturing hub, would have made drastic progress under governor Ademola Adeleke, rather than bury the age-long historic airport to start a new one in his hometown, Ede.”
Awolola also urged President Bola Tinubu to prevail on Adeleke to shelve the planned relocation of the airport.
He also implored Ministers of Works and Aviation; David Umahi and Festus Keyamo, invited to the turning of sod ceremony at the new site of the project, to shun the invite.
Similarly, an opposition party in the state, the Allied Peoples Movement, has opposed the planned relocation of the airport to Ede.
A statement signed by Adewale Adebayo the chairman of the party, obtained in Osogbo, the APM condemned the governor’s decision.
“To relocate such a critical project to the governor’s hometown reeks of political favouritism and disregards the resources and efforts already committed to the Ido-Osun site.
“Osun State cannot afford to waste N20 billion public funds, especially during these challenging economic times. The relocation of the airport project undermines the principle of fairness and transparency, as it appears to prioritize personal interests over the collective good of the people of Osun State.”
Efforts to get spokesperson for Osun State Governor, Olawale Rasheed for reaction, failed as calls to his line did not go through, while response to text message sent to him was still being expected as of the time of filing this report.
